Consumer anti-virus software is not keeping up with the criminals on the Web, and some industry professionals say it's not worth buying.
Gene Hodges, CEO of international online security business Websense, says the fast-paced and highly-organised nature of online criminals has rendered consumer anti-virus packages virtually useless.
He says criminals are now targeting user-generated content on sites like Facebook and YouTube, and finding ways of monetising that information. With the Web outside of a user's protection sphere, it makes it hard to keep up with protection.
Facebook processes a page update every three-tenths of a second. “The rate of change of the data source has increased and keeping up with the bad guys is a very tough task.”
Recent research conducted by Symantec also shows Internet threats have evolved into “more than a simple virus”.
Con Mallon, Symantec's director of product marketing for EMEA, says a simple anti-virus package is no longer enough to handle the threats in the market. He says consumers “don't need anti-virus protection. They need a full Internet security product, which will protect against all of the Internet threats out there.”
Forking out more
However, buying a comprehensive security package for the home can be far more taxing on the pocket than purchasing a simple anti-virus application.
A comprehensive protection package from Norton costs almost double of what a basic package costs. The Norton Anti-virus 2009 two-year package can be purchased for R579.99. It comes standard with anti-virus, anti-spyware and botnet protection. It also provides browser and Internet worm protection, and prevents intrusions.
On the other hand, the Norton Internet Security 2009 two-year protection package retails at R949.99 and includes identity protection, a two-firewall configuration, anti-phishing and anti-spam protection, network security and Web site authentication, in addition to the other applications.
A standard anti-virus protection package from McAfee costs R249 with standard applications, such as anti-virus, anti-spyware and a firewall. Its more comprehensive product, Total Protection, featuring anti-phishing, anti-spyware, as well as anti-spam, among others, would cost R549.
Similarly, Kaspersky Lab retails its basic Anti-virus 2010 product at $39.95 (R304.67) with applications such as real-time scanning and basic identity theft protection. Its higher-rated product, Internet Security 2010, which claims complete PC protection with features such as bank account fraud protection, a two-way firewall and protection from online shopping threats, retails at $59.95 (R457.19).
The Incredible Connection Web site advertises the Kaspersky Lab Anti-virus 2009 for one user at R199.95, while Kaspersky Lab Internet Security 2009 retails at R299.95. According to Matrix head office in Alberton, the same products retail at R199 and R219 respectively. The Kaspersky Lab 2010 Anti-virus is expected to arrive mid-September.
Recession blues
IDC senior analyst Pieter Kok says the recession is having an impact on consumer security choices. “Spending has dramatically decreased.”
He says lack of rolling cash has resulted in consumers using whatever anti-virus software they already have. It remains to be seen whether these consumers will renew the licences on existing applications.
Despite the slowdown, Kok says the industry is not suffering. He adds the market for endpoint security is estimated to increase to $6.95 billion worldwide this year.
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